Mikko Rantanen rocking a Dallas Stars jersey? Yup, it’s real, and the Avalanche are probably still crying in the locker room. It all started back in January when Colorado shocked the NHL world and hit eject on one of their biggest names. Word on the street was that Rantanen wanted a little too much dough in contract talks, and the Avalanche weren’t ready to break the bank. So off he went to the Hurricanes in a wild three-team shuffle… except Carolina couldn’t lock him down either.
And just like that, bam, Dallas swooped in like a playoff-hungry eagle at the trade deadline. Now? Rantanen’s living his best postseason life in Texas, absolutely torching defenses and low-key becoming a Conn Smythe frontrunner while leading the Stars to a 2–1 edge over the NHL’s top squad. The kicker? One of his former Colorado teammates just threw a sneaky little jab at the Avalanche, right when Mikko Rantanen’s cooking on high heat in the playoffs. Talk about karma skating in full speed, huh?
You know it’s bad when one of your old boys calls you out, and that’s exactly what happened with the Avalanche. Nazem Kadri, now rocking Flames red but forever stamped in Colorado’s 2022 Cup-winning history, saw what Mikko Rantanen’s been doing in the postseason and couldn’t hold back. He hopped on X and dropped the most loyal, lowkey savage line ever: “Rule number one: You always keep the dawgs … #96”. And honestly? He’s not wrong. Rantanen has turned into a one-man playoff storm, and the Avs? Yeah, they’re watching it all unfold from their couches.
The true heartbreak hit when Mikko Rantanen, who clearly had a vendetta in his skates, straight up ended Colorado’s season with a third-period hat trick in Game 7 like it was a casual Tuesday. Since that soul-snatching performance, the man has been on an absolute heater, leaving defenders in the dust and fans wondering why on earth the Avs ever let him walk.
Rule number one : You always keep the dawgs … #96
— Nazem Kadri (@43_Kadri) May 11, 2025
This story is developing…
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